


I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas and More

by Myoneloveismusic



Category: Batman - All Media Types, DCU
Genre: Christmas, Christmas Fluff, M/M, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-21
Updated: 2020-12-21
Packaged: 2021-03-10 18:20:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,643
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28221567
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Myoneloveismusic/pseuds/Myoneloveismusic
Summary: The holidays leave Tim feeling sentimental and as much as he wants to have his own holiday gathering or tradition, it never seems to come to pass. Until a chance encounter with his encounter seems to change all that.
Relationships: Tim Drake/Jason Todd
Comments: 2
Kudos: 101





	I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas and More

Tim watched his breath puff in front of him, the clouds passing from his lips drifting upwards on the breeze before they disappeared. Snow drifted down around him, adding to the layer of white that already covered Gotham. 

From his balcony he could see trees and lights strung up in the surrounding apartments and office buildings. 

He ducked his head and blew on his cold hands before burying them back in the blanket he had pulled around his shoulders. He was cold and really needed to get back inside to warm up, but he couldn’t pull himself away from the sight of Gotham dressed in white. 

He didn’t know what it was about the holidays that made him feel sentimental. Maybe it was the numerous Christmas movies that insisted everything was going to be okay and everyone would find love in the end. Or perhaps it was the scenes of families spending time together, the charity efforts so many more people participated in, and the general sense of goodwill everyone carried so each person could have at least one day where they didn’t have to worry. 

Tim didn’t do much besides a few small get-togethers or gift exchanges with friends even when he wished for more each year. His family wasn’t one to have meaningful gift exchanges or dinners and if he was being honest, he didn’t want to try and force them to have one. Poor attitudes and little care would leave him feeling worse than going another year without anyway. 

“Shit, it’s fucking cold out here. Damn.” 

Tim stiffened and glanced to the side to find his neighbor stepping out on his balcony in nothing more than a long-sleeve flannel and sweatpants. 

He pulled out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter and didn’t waste any time lighting one and taking a long drag. He blew the smoke into the air and crossed his free hand across his stomach, shivering as another chilly gust blew between the buildings. 

He glanced at Tim and stepped over to the railing of his balcony, a few feet of space between them. 

“How are you standing there like the cold isn’t bothering you at all?” he asked, taking another drag from his cigarette. 

Tim raised an eyebrow and turned to face him. “How do you know it isn’t bothering me?” 

He scoffed. “Because you’re nearly covered in a layer of snow and you don’t even look like you’re shivering.” 

Tim chuckled. “Maybe that’s because I brought a blanket out here with me instead of just stepping out in nothing but a thin shirt and...are you barefoot?” 

“No,” he huffed, holding up one foot. “I’m wearing slippers.” 

“And no socks with them. No wonder you’re freezing. You could’ve at least put on some socks.” 

He shrugged. “That seemed like a lot of work for a smoke.” 

“Well, if you cut back on the cigs, you could avoid coming out into the cold altogether.” 

“And what’s your excuse?” 

“I like watching the snow.” 

“And you can’t do that from inside? Why not just pull up a chair to the window and wrap yourself in a blanket or two?” 

Tim shrugged and turned his gaze back to the surrounding buildings. “I dunno,” he murmured. “Something about it just isn’t quite the same.” 

His neighbor followed his gaze, taking another drag of his cigarette. “I guess so. Must be the holidays. I’m sure once Christmas has passed you’re going to hate it and be ready for spring.” 

Tim chuckled, his breath coming in little puffs. “You might be right, but I can at least enjoy it now.” 

“I’m Jason by the way,” he offered. “I guess we’ve never spoken before this. Or at least haven’t introduced ourselves.” 

“I’m Tim.” 

Jason nodded and shivered, taking his last drag before he knelt down and put out the nub in the snow. 

“Enjoy the snow, Tim. I’m going back inside where I don’t freeze my toes off.” 

“Put on some socks and you won’t have to worry about that.” 

Jason paused, one hand on the handle of his door. “Nah, I don’t think so.” He pulled the door open and stepped inside. 

Tim managed to stay outside for a few more minutes before the cold became too much and drove him back inside. 

He shut the door behind him and shivered in the warmth as he started to thaw out. 

He kept the blanket around his shoulders and walked into the kitchen, grabbing a mug and a packet of instant hot chocolate mix. 

Tim filled his keurig with water and turned it on, sticking the mug under the dispenser as he waited for it to heat up. 

He paced around his kitchen, rubbing his hands together. He dumped his blanket over the back of the couch and grabbed a another, feeling a little more of the chill driven away. 

The hum of his keurig drew him back to the kitchen as the warm water filled his mug. He dumped the hot chocolate powder into the cup and mixed it with a spoon before he settled in on the couch. 

He grabbed the remote and turned on the tv, flipping through the channels until he found a Christmas movie. He cradled the mug in his hands, letting the warmth seep into his palms as he relaxed. 

~~~

“Out here again?” 

Tim glanced at Jason who was pulling his balcony door closed. “I guess I am. Did you put socks on this time?” 

Jason held up his foot where Tim could see a sock covering his ankle around his slippers. “Only because I don’t really feel like losing any toes.” 

“That would certainly put a damper on things,” Tim agreed. 

Jason lit his cigarette and inhaled, blowing out the smoke a second later. 

“Am I going to have to worry about any crazy, loud Christmas parties?” Jason asked. 

“Hm?” 

“Well, you seem to like all of this stuff,” he said, gesturing at the buildings and decorations covering the city. “So, are you planning on having a party? Do I need to be prepared to come bang down your door if you’re being too loud? If you want everyone to leave at a certain time I can be persistent enough to make you force them to leave.” 

“No,” Tim sighed. “I don’t really have anyone who is overly interested in a party. I doubt I’ll even cook anything special.” 

“Really? For me, the food is all these holidays are good for.” 

“Then you must be a much better cook than I am,” Tim chuckled. “If I tried my hand in the kitchen I’d probably burn it down. And I don’t think that’s something any of us want in the middle of winter.” 

“If you’re alright with it, I could bring you a plate,” Jason offered. 

“Really? You’d do that?” 

He shrugged, pressing the butt of his cigarette into the snow. “Sure. It’s the season of giving and all that. And if it means you get to eat something other than instant ramen, I definitely don’t mind.” 

“Thanks.” He wasn’t planning on eating instant ramen on Christmas. At least, that wasn’t something he was going to admit to Jason. 

“Enjoy the cold,” he said, holding up a hand before heading inside. 

Tim waved back, feeling warmer than he should while standing outside on his balcony. He was starting to feel a little more hopeful this year. Maybe things would be better than usual for him on Christmas, if only because his neighbor shared some food with him. 

He turned and pulled open his door, stepping inside and shutting it behind him. He glanced around his apartment and the lack of decorations compared to the rest of Gotham. Maybe he could do a little decorating and make it a bit more festive. 

~~~

Tim stared at the small Christmas tree inside the shop window. It was about three feet tall and was pre-lit so he wouldn’t need to buy lights. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to cover it with ornaments, but the lights would add a little extra light before he made up his mind. 

He pulled open the shop door and stepped inside, shaking off some of the snow that had collected on his hat and coat. 

“Welcome,” a worker said, quickly approaching him. “Is there something I can help you with today?” 

“One of those trees, please,” he said, pointing to the one he was looking at in the window. 

“Of course, of course. We have those stocked over this way.” 

They led him towards a pile between sets of shelves and lifted one of the boxes, setting it upright. 

“This is the one you were looking at. The smaller sizes have become quite popular. Would you like any ornaments or other decorations to go with it?” 

“No, just the tree for now,” Tim said, glancing around at the shelves covered in different decorations. 

“Perfect. Let’s just take this over to the counter and get you checked out.” 

Tim watched in awe as they lifted the box with ease and effortlessly carried it towards the counter. Tim trailed behind them and pulled out his wallet.

The clerk set the box next to the counter and walked around back, tapping on the register’s screen before they scanned the barcode on the side of the box. 

“That’ll be $70.42.” 

Tim nodded and swiped his card. 

The clerk hummed along to the music playing over the speakers as they finished the transaction and tore the receipt from the machine, passing it over to him. 

“There you are. Have a Merry Christmas.” 

“Thank you, you too.” 

Tim took the receipt and stuffed it into his jacket pocket with his wallet. He bent down and wrapped his arms around the box, lifting it from the ground. 

“Oh, let me get the door for you.” 

The clerk rushed around him towards the front of the store. He followed, carefully navigating the expertly stacked tables and shelves. 

He shivered when he felt the cold air wash around him and stepped out onto the busy sidewalk. 

People rushed around him, not paying much mind to the large box in his hands. 

He carefully navigated the crowds to his building and set down the box long enough to pull open the door before he was shoving it inside. 

He waddled over to the elevator and reached for the call button when he noticed the sign on the doors. 

_ Elevator out of order.  _ _   
_ _ We apologize for the inconvenience. _

“Shit,” Tim muttered, thinking about the long walk up to his apartment. 

He slid the box over to the stairs and bent down, securing his grip as best he could. He lifted it, intending to brace it on top of his shoulder for the walk up. 

He felt confident for about five seconds before the weight of the box started shifting backwards, pulling him with it. 

Tim gasped, struggling to stay upright. 

“Woah, there,” a voice said. The box stopped moving, keeping Tim upright. “Let’s get that down.” 

“Hey-” Tim started to object as the box was pulled from his hands. He turned to find Jason standing behind him, the box securely on the floor. “Oh.” 

Jason grinned, one hand on his hip and the other resting on the end of the box. “Looks like I got here in the nick of time. I’d ask if you need a hand, but I think it’s pretty obvious you do.” 

Tim blushed. “Yeah. I wasn’t exactly planning on the elevator being out when I got back.” 

Jason chuckled. “I don’t think any of us were. I’ll help you carry it upstairs. This trip would be a bitch for anyone trying to carry this alone.” 

“You really don’t have to.” 

Jason shrugged and lifted the box, balancing it on his shoulder with ease. 

Tim tried not to be jealous that he was able to lift it so easily. He waved for Jason to go ahead. If he couldn’t help carry it, he could at least make sure he didn’t fall backwards down the stairs. 

“What did you decide to buy anyway?” Jason asked as they climbed the stairs. 

Tim pulled off his hat and gloves, unzipping his coat now that they were inside. 

“Christmas tree.” 

“Very festive.” 

“Yeah, seeing all of the other decorations made me feel like I could brighten up my apartment instead of just looking at everything else.” 

“Well, if you can’t cook, might as well decorate,” Jason snickered. 

Tim rolled his eyes. “Do you have any decorations?” 

“A few. I have a small tabletop tree. Nothing this big. I don’t really want to take up a bunch of space with decorations. Scented candles and music is enough for me.” 

“You like scented candles?” 

“Yeah? They smell nice, don’t take up much space, and there’s pretty much one for any mood you could be in. I see no downsides with them.” 

Tim hummed, thinking over this new bit of information as they continued up the stairwell. He was already starting to tire and couldn’t imagine the kind of strain Jason was going to be under as they continued the journey to their floor. 

He expected Jason was going to ask for a break at some point so he could set the box down and catch his breath, but it never came. He kept going, taking a handful of steps before carefully shifting around the turn to repeat the process, floor after floor disappearing before them. 

“Here we are,” Jason sighed, coming to a stop at the next landing. “Do you think you can squeeze around me to get the door open?” 

“Yeah.” Tim ducked under the box in Jason’s grip. He turned the handle and stepped through, holding the door open as far as it would go. 

Jason carefully stepped through and covered the last few yards to Tim’s door. He placed the box next to it and rolled his shoulders, unzipping his coat to pull it off. 

“There you go,” Jason said, turning to grin at him. “Do you need any help getting it inside?” 

Tim rolled his eyes. “Just because you carried it up a million flights of stairs doesn’t mean I can’t lift a box. I did bring it all the way here from the store, you know.” 

Jason chuckled. “Hey, just making sure. For all I know, you could’ve wanted help putting it up at least.” He pulled out his keys and stepped over to his door. “Have fun with your new tree.” 

“Thanks I guess. And thanks for carrying this all the way up here. It would’ve been awful doing it myself.” 

Jason grinned. “No problem.” 

He pushed open his door and stepped inside, shutting the door softly behind him. 

Tim grimaced, feeling the sweat that had collected during his climb start to cool. He pulled out his own keys and hurried to unlock his door, walking the large box inside. 

He left it by the door and hung up his coat, heading for the bathroom to grab a shower before he even bothered with the tree. 

He left the shower to warm and grabbed a change of clothes from his bedroom before undressing and showering quickly. 

Tim felt better after getting properly clean and returned to the living room, dragging the box in front of his couch. He put some Christmas music on the tv and opened the box, pulling out the tree and the separate pieces of the base. 

He attached the base to the bottom of the tree and lifted the tree upright, pulling the branches away from the center column. He hummed along to the music playing from the tv as he carefully arranged the branches to look as natural as they could. 

Once he was finished, he pushed it over to the corner next to his tv and plugged it in, the colorful lights coming to life and painting a picture of colorful confetti on the walls. 

Tim smiled, it wasn’t as grand as some of the other decorations he’d seen, but he was happy with it nonetheless. Maybe next year he could add a few ornaments or at least some gifts underneath it. 

~~~

_ Merry Christmas, Tim! _

_ Happy Holidays! _

_ Enjoy your night! _

_ Nothing better than a day spent making delicious food! _

_ Loving the new gifts! _

Tim sighed and tossed his phone to the side. It was getting late, the sun had long gone down and a heavy snow was falling over Gotham. 

Almost every year they had some form of snowfall around Christmas, but this year was looking to be closer to an actual blizzard. 

He pushed himself to his feet and walked over to the large windows overlooking his balcony. As much as he wanted to step outside and enjoy the snow, it was already piled higher than he was comfortable with. 

He’d spent the entire day watching movies and eating whatever he had on hand, but it was nothing compared to the photos his friends were sharing of their apartments filled with food and people. 

He sighed, ready to go straight for the carton of ice cream in his freezer and skip the ramen he was going to make altogether. 

A knock sounded at his door, drawing his attention. He shuffled over to the door and looked through the peephole, seeing Jason standing on the other side. 

He frowned and unlocked the door, pulling it open. 

“Hey. What brings you over?” 

Jason scratched the back of his head. “Well...I know I offered to bring you a plate of food a while back and I spent all day cooking so I have a lot more than I can reasonably eat. I was going to fill up a plate and bring it over, but then I thought it would be pretty sad for both of us to eat alone in our apartments, so… I guess what I’m trying to say is, would you like to join me for dinner?” 

Tim stared at him, thinking off all of those nights spent wishing for the year when he got to spend Christmas with someone who actually cared about it. He’d never really thought about what might happen if the chance was presented to him, but there was no way he could say no.

“I’d love to join you. Just let me turn off the tv and grab some shoes.” 

Jason grinned. “Great.” 

Tim nodded and left the door open as he moved farther inside. He bent over the side of the couch to grab the remote and shut off the tv. He grabbed his phone before he pulled on a pair of old sneakers. 

He barely remembered to grab his keys and locked up, letting Jason walk him next door. 

Almost as soon as the door opened, Tim was hit with a wave of delicious smells. His stomach growled and he blushed. 

Jason chuckled and shut the door behind him. “I hope it tastes as good as it smells. Go ahead and have a seat at the table. I’ve got water and soda to drink. Or beer if that’s something you’ll like.” 

“I’m good with soda. Not much of a beer drinker.” 

“Sure, sure.” 

Tim walked over to the small table that was piled with food. A fully cooked ham sat in the middle surrounded by mashed potatoes, biscuits, carrots, and stuffing.

“Wow. You really went all out.” 

“It’s a bad habit of mine,” Jason sighed, stepping up next to him. “But please, have a seat and eat as much as you want.” 

Tim nodded and took one of the seats in front of a plate. He accepted the glass of soda Jason handed him and picked up the bowl of potatoes, scooping them onto his plate. 

Jason sat down across from him, carefully filling his own plate from the different bowls. 

Tim waited until Jason was done. They met each other’s eyes across the table and dug in. 

Tim scooped up a bite of potatoes and nearly groaned. He sighed and cut off a piece of ham, the glaze sweet on his tongue. 

“This is delicious,” he murmured, staring down at his food. 

“Really?” Jason asked, his voice soft. 

“Really,” he agreed. “I don’t even know how you can cook food this good. I can’t be held responsible for eating my weight in mashed potatoes and ham, I’ll have you know that right now.” 

Jason chuckled. “If it gets rid of some of this food, I definitely won’t mind.” 

They fell into a comfortable silence that gave Tim the chance to finally notice the soft piano music playing in the background. He spotted the tv playing one of the Christmas fireplace videos he usually put on. 

Tim finished off his first plate and grabbed a few more of his favorites before he sat back uncomfortably full, but beyond satisfied. 

Jason groaned and pushed his plate away when he finished his last bite of ham. 

“That was amazing,” Tim offered. “Thanks for having me over for dinner.” 

Jason smiled. “Think of it as my present to you this year. It’s been a while since I’ve gotten to share the holidays with anyone, so thank you for indulging me.” 

Tim nodded. “I don’t know if I’ve ever had a true holiday gathering. It wasn’t really big in my family, but I always wanted something like this.” 

“Well, I’m happy to get you a little bit closer to that. Maybe we could do this again, next year.” 

Tim smiled. “I would like that a lot actually.” 

“Great! Anyway, now that we’re done with the main course, time for dessert?” 

Tim leaned back and laughed. “Not even close. Give me a few hours.” 

“Then how about a movie in the meantime?” 

Tim smiled and nodded. “Sounds great.” 

He pushed his chair back and followed Jason over to the couch, hoping this could be the start of his own holiday tradition. 


End file.
